To Athene
by J.L. Robins
I sing to the grey-eyes warrior,
She that bears the aegis of her father
and the wisdom of her mother.
Most-beloved of Athens, She that is mother
and bestower of the olive tree.
You, who are attended by Justice
leads us to do good
and compete on the side of righteousness.
When challenged You prove Your worth instead of reigning down blows
and mete out corect punishment when You win.
Creative Lady, weaver of Olympos
giver of the skills of the loom.
Accept this prayer, insuficient though it is
in return and thanks for all You have given.
To Athena
by Kallistos
Oh Mistress Athena!
Your clear eyes pierce the veil of ignorance, you see as clearly as an
owl!
Your deft fingers work swiftly at the loom shaping the warp and the
weft of the peplos you are making.
Your strong hands shape the clay on the wheel into a fine amphora.
Your aigis and shield guard those whom You claim as Your own with Your
might.
Your clear and cunning thought makes the strategy which protects the
cities of Men.
Only skillful Hephaistos can rival you in the work of crafts.
You best even mighty Ares at warcraft.
Your wise counsels are sought by and comfort Great Zeus the Highest,
Your excellent father.
Your wisdom and guidance aids powerful heroes in war and adventures.
You stand by Your heroes as few of the Blessed Immortals do. Many
heroes came through their dangerous trials with Your sure help. Cunning
Odysseus you aided both on the plains of Ilios, and on the wide paths
of the Sea. Godlike Diomedes faced Gods Themselves on the field of
battle with Your strength to help him. Brave Perseus would have
perished without Your guidance.
You give Men your wise gifts, the car, the bridle, the fruitful Olive
tree and its versatile oil with its many uses, the swift ships that
sail the wine dark sea.
Your city, Athens, truly won great fame under Your tutelage. Her
handiworks are famed for their skillful make and artistic beauty to
this day. The wisdom of her sages, from Solon to Sokrates to Proclus
echo down to us and are studied and wondered at to this day. Her wise
generals Militiades and Themistokles won lasting renown that echoes
over the millennia for the defeats that they inflicted on the mighty
Persians at Marathon and Salamis. The craftsmanship and mathematical
precision (and imprecision) of Your great Temple is a wonder to behold
to this day, recognized across the broad Earth, to the point of being
imitated in lands unknown even to far-sailing Odysseus and venturesome
Pythias.
Your naked beauty was powerful enough to blind the Seer at a glance!
Verily you were a fit candidate for “the most Beautiful” or
“the Goodliest” inscribed on the bright gold apple that
Eris threw amongst the Gods of Olympos at the wedding of Thetis.
Oh Athena of the flashing eyes, few are Your equal.
Arachne foolishly thought herself your better in the art of weaving.
Truly did she pay the price for her hubris.
Truly Alexandros of Ilios faced a difficult choice on the slopes of
Mount Ida. All three Goddesses had just claim to the title.
Yet I know which of the three I would have chosen were I in
Paris’ shoes, oh Mistress Athena!
Athena
by Rebecca Buchanan
She
is glorious Wisdom
Which never fades nor is tarnished
--
the pearl of an owl’s eye.
Prayer to Athena
by Rebecca Buchanan
Athena
Wise Weaver
Skilled Crafter
-- guide my hands
Athene of the Flashing Eyes
by Amanda Blake
I sing of Athene of the flashing eyes
In fearsome aegis clad
Who delights in war and battle-cries
Whose birth from the head of the Father
Shook the wide-bosomed Earth
Holy Virgin, Zeus's daughter
Nimble-fingered Goddess of many arts
Athena Ergane, Wisest of Olympos,
Dearest to the philosophers' hearts
Protector of Athens, bestower of the olive tree
I offer you my worship, such as it is
Guide who stands beside Heroes, stand by me
Shrewd Goddess, mighty, owl-eyed
I pray to be brave, I strive to worthy
For you to stand beside me till I die
Athena, My Goddess
by Amanda Sioux Blake
Athena, Great Goddess
Athena, Daughter of Zeus
Athena, patroness of Athens
Athena, protectess of civilization
Athena, leader of the Virgins of Olympos
Athena owl-eyed
Athena, many-named
Athena the warrior
Athena the spear-wielder
Athena holds the line
Athena, the general
Athena who wins the war
Athena, the fearsome
Athena who bears the Aegis
Athena who brings our soldiers home
Athena, second only to Zeus
Athena the worker
Athena, the weaver
Athena of Artisans
Athena punisher of Arakhne
Athena friend of Hephaistos
Athena of potters and smiths
Athena, who reared Erichontios
Athena, Her Father's Daughter
Athena, wisdom personified
Athena, inspirer of philosophers
Athena the teacher
Athena the eternal student
Athena the wise
Athena the healer
Athena Providence
Athena Victorious
Athena, pure in heart
Athena, virgin
Athena, inviolate
Athena the kind
Athena, my rescuer
My heart, my love,
My light, my soul
Athena -- My Goddess
O Athens
by Amanda Sioux Blake
O Athens, sacred city of my Goddess
The gray-eyed daughter of Zeus
Wreathed in olive leaves
Your glory shines across the world to this day!
O Athens, whose fertile lands
Gave birth to great minds
Men like Perikles, like Sokrates, like Plato
Your knowledge shines across the world to this day!
O Athens, whose temples are the most beautiful
In the world, for you hold at your center
The Parthenon which houses the ivory image of Athena Owl-eyed
Your beauty shines across the world to this day!
O Athens, birthplace of democracy
The first city ruled By The People
You are the mother of Law and Justice
Your freedom shines across the world to this day!
O Athens, sacred city of my Goddess
I pray one day to meet you in person –
To walk on thy sacred soil
To sit among your fallen columns
The glorious birthplace of my Gods!
